Could Have Been So Much More

Rating: 8/10 (11 June 2008)

This flick is enthralling and makes you both laugh and cry. The original and risk-taking "plot" (maybe "premise" would be a better word) immediately engage the viewer. The photography is lush, the script jaunty and punchy and the acting superb. Either the rolling piano or duel scenes alone are worth more than many movies in their entirety. But the flaw of 1900 is that we are not given enough to justify 1900's decision to remain on the Virginian. This might have been accomplished by having more scenes with 1900 interacting with the the crew and passengers (instead of just espousing his unexplained insight regarding them). It would have helped immensely too if we could have learned why 1900 developed such passion for the piano, which could have been better developed as an allegory to his life. Please don't get me wrong. If this film had contained the features I desire, it may stand as one of the all time greats. But as it is its merely a wonderful, excellent film.